A language for automatic generation of fast instruction-set compiled simulators

Abstract

This paper presents a novel architecture description language, MiADL. This language is capable of specifying a wide class of ISAs by exploring the common features found in instructions, obtaining compact descriptions. Descriptionpsilas efficiency and expressiveness is demonstrated with examples that compare MiADL with other related works, using complex ISAs of contemporary processors. The semantics of new constructs of the language is also presented. These permit smaller descriptions over other ADLs. Results achieved with simulators generated from this language revealed a speed-up over other contributions. A comparison in terms of description effectiveness and simulator performance is presented.